A brighter future
by Belac the Warrior
Summary: Eight years after the war, and Aang can't forgive himself for letting Katara get hurt. Can a trip to the South Pole help? MEGA KATAANG! some HakodaxUrsa. Rated T for possible future stuff.


**A/N: No idea what made me write this… I just did. Inspiration from the blue. Italics mean flashbacks, underlines mean letters.**

On a balcony in the Firenation palace, a bald man of about 20 years old stood, holding a letter. He had grey eyes, and he whore strange autumn colored clothing. He had an arrow that came across the top of his head and ended right between his eyes, and the shaft continued down his back. Other arrows where on his hands and feet, and continued along his arms and legs. This man was an airbender, but not just any airbender: the Avatar.

Aang read through the letter in his hand, then crumpled it up and tossed it away. It was from Katara. She was telling him that there was going to be a party at the South Pole celebrating the day Aang defeated the Firelord. She wanted Aang to come, but he couldn't. Not since the "accident".

_Aang rushed towards the Firelord's palace, dashing past firebenders as he went. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning shot at him. He stopped, and looked in the direction it came from. There was Azula, standing on top of a building. She prepared to fire again, but she was hit by a water whip, and fell to the ground. In her place stood Katara. She jumped down, and attacked Azula._

"_Go!" she cried to Aang, but he didn't go. He tried to help, but was surrounded by firebenders. By the time he defeated them, it was too late. He rushed to Katara, who was tired from fighting Azula, and was in danger of being struck down. Azula fired a huge bolt of lightning at her, and Katara wasn't able to block it. Aang tried to get in front of Katara, he tried to save her, but he was to late, and Katara fell. Azula gave a wicked little smile. Aang kneeled of Katara, and his arrows began to glow._

"_That right, go into the avatar state," said Azula. "Let me win."_

_Aang sent out a huge blast of fire, and Azula fell back. For the first time in her life, she was surprised. She fell back, and ran off. Aang returned to normal, and went back to Katara._

"_I'm so sorry Katara," he said. "This is my fault. I should have protected you."_

_He began to weep._

He would never forget that. Katara almost died, and it was his fault. Sokka and Toph had come and gotten Katara, but she was badly wounded. Aang had wanted to stay with Katara, but Sokka had told him to go on and face the Firelord. Of course, the Zuko had killed Azula at the battle of Omashu, about a month later, thereby winning Aang's full trust, but He still blamed himself for what had happened. That was why He couldn't go, especially on the anniversary of the accident.

He grabbed a brush and some paper, and wrote back to her. This is his letter:

Dear Katara,

I am afraid that I am too busy right now to be able to come. Maybe next year. Anyways, I'm happy to here about the new couple. I never expected Hokoda to marry Zuko's mother! You realize that that makes you and Zuko siblings? I wish them luck.

Your friend,

Aang

He waited for the ink to dry, then rolled it up and sent of by messenger hawk.

The next day, Aang went to meet with Firelord Zuko.

"Everything is going great so far," He said to him. "The earthbenders and waterbenders are working night and day to create new islands with your firebenders. If all goes well, there should be enough room for all the colonials to move back here."

"I see," said Zuko. "So that means you'll probably go to the South Pole soon, right?"

"Actually, I was going to stay here" said Aang.

"You deserve a rest," he said. "You've been being so helpful."

"My duty is here, helping to restore peace," Aang said stiffly.

"You deserve a vacation," said Zuko. "Go. I can take it from here."

Aang sighed.

"There's a reason I can't go," he said. "Ever since the accident, I haven't been able to see Katara. I haven't been able to because… I'm afraid. I failed her, and she almost died. I can't let that happen again."

"Then you should go, " said Zuko. "She'll be safer if you're with her. Just don't smother her."

"You seem to know a lot about these things," said Aang.

"Perhaps," said Zuko, and he glanced at a small painting near his throne. It was a portrait of Firelady Mai.

Aang began packing and sent another letter to Katara, telling her he would come after all.

"Who knows Momo?" he said to the little lemur. "Maybe things will turn out fine."

**A/N: Review and what not.**


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